1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a molding material, a method of manufacturing a molded body, a method of manufacturing a sintered body, a molding material, a molded body and a sintered body that can be utilized for ceramics or powder metallurgy.
2. Related Art Statement
Aqueous injection molding technique using agar has been known in the fields of ceramic powder molding and powder metallurgy. Particularly, in the injection molding method of ceramic powder, it has been known to mold a ceramic powder by using a binder constituted with water and agar. For example, in Japanese Patent No. 2604592 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,237), a basic patent in the relevant field, a metal powder or ceramic powder, an agaroid gel-forming material and water are mixed, and the mixture is heated to a temperature exceeding the gel point of the agaroid gel-forming material. The mixture is then molded at a temperature lower than the gel point thereby obtaining a molded body comprising the ceramic powder or metal powder. For example, an aqueous agar solution is admixed to a mixture of an alumina powder and deionized water, the mixture is mixed under heating at 77° C. and injection molded, and the resultant molded body is sintered at 1600° C. Further, Japanese Patent No. 3105225 (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 748,151: PCT/US92/06799) also discloses a similar manufacturing method.